Greinke On Track to Set New Scoreless Innings Record
Scott Morris | July 20, 2015
While the Los Angeles Dodgers are continuing their search for new starting pitchers prior to the trade deadline on July 31, their top two pitchers in the rotation keep raising the bar for just how dominant pitching can be for the Dodgers.
On Sunday, right-hander Zack Greinke kept up posting zeros. In all he has posted over 43 innings of zeros to this point. He pitched eight innings on Sunday in the nation’s capitol and shut out the Washington Nationals 5-0.
Greinke has not allowed a run since June 13 and is just 16 innings shy of the major league record set in 1988 by the Dodgers’ Orel Hershiser for consecutive scoreless innings.
Sunday could have been his most impressive outing this season given the humidity and heat, a change mid game of catchers and a season high of 119 pitches.
Yet, like always, Greinke was blunt as he acknowledged that the injury depleted Nationals lineup was not the most trying challenge he has faced this season. He and Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw struck out 25 Washington players between them in 16 innings of shutout baseball over the weekend.
For those that like to wager on baseball, the odds are in Greinke’s favor to continue his torrid scoreless streak against his next opponent. He is scheduled to pitch next on Friday against the New York Mets. The Dodgers right-hander holds a career .214 ERA against the Mets.
With his career numbers so good versus the Mets and his overall remarkable control, the numbers will be in favor of him continuing that scoreless streak.
Greinke walked just one on Sunday while striking out 11. He had great control of his pitches and was able to place them where and when he wanted to.
Greinke had a scoreless streak of 38 innings during his 2009 season in which he won the Cy Young award. He will break into the top five all time scoreless innings if he reaches 47 innings passing the great Bob Gibson and will trail just Jack Coombs, Walter Johnson, Don Drysdale and Hershiser, which to say the least is mighty good company to be with.
